It is oftentimes useful and desirable to form tubing, such as plastic tubing, into a helical form. One type of apparatus known for winding the tubing into a helical form involves the use of a rotating and translating drum. The rotating and translating drum is operated by placing the hot extruded PVC tubing on the drum and then rotating and simultaneously axially translating the drum to cause the tubing to form a helical pattern around the drum. After the drum is filled, the tubing is cut and the drum is removed and replaced with an empty drum. The full drums are set aside for a period of time to cool and form the material in the helical form.
There are, however, a number of disadvantages that accompany the use of such a rotating and translating drum. For example, the apparatus does not permit the tubing to be continuously wound into a helical form. Quite the contrary, the winding operation must be interrupted rather frequently. The apparatus also does not include a suitable cooling arrangement that allows the tubing to be cooled. Also, the apparatus does not lend itself to the automated chopping or cutting of the tubing. Additionally, an operator is required for the drum changeover. Further, there is a significant amount of material waste between drums and at each end of the drum where the orientation of the tubing is not maintained. The net result, therefore, is that the use of such an apparatus causes a significant amount of waste as well as a sizable decrease in productivity.